Dr. Kitzmiller is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina, School of Nursing and within the Carolina’s Health Informatics Program. She also serves as Consulting Associate at the Duke University School of Nursing. Nearly two decades of organizational leadership and informatics experience in US Army and Duke University Health System tertiary care settings informs Dr. Kitzmiller’s research interest in implementation. Organizations anticipate that implementing new processes, such as technology, will have a positive impact on clinical operations and patient outcomes. However, research indicates that change in complex hospital environments often results in unintended patient outcomes primarily due to the disruption of interdependent care processes. Further, best methods for implementing change, including technology implementation, have yet to be identified. Dr. Kitzmiller’s research seeks to identify strategies that will improve the implementation and sustainment of new practices in health care settings that (1) promote health care staff innovation behaviors to improve the fit of new processes to care setting; (2) facilitate staff mastery of new processes; and (3) help staff maintain focus on quality care delivery. Adequately supporting staff is a critical element to improving care quality and patient outcomes.

Rebecca has served as an adviser to national and state organizations as they prepare to transform healthcare delivery and develop a workforce capable of leading change efforts. She was a key coordinator for the Office of the National Coordinator on Health IT, collaborating across agencies to develop a strategic plan for decision support. Rebecca served as an invited speaker on leading transformation for UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing Center for Lifelong Learning, North Carolina’s Area Health Education Center, the North Carolina Health Information and Communication Alliance and Wake Hospital.

Rebecca spent nearly 30 years as a leader in military and civilian health care settings. As a member of the US Army Nurse Corps, she managed patient care units as well as several large-scale organizational process improvement and technology projects, including the upfit of newly constructed health facilities, development of new care processes for wounded soldiers, and health information technology implementation and training. Following military service, Rebecca served as the Director of Nursing Informatics for Duke Health System and was responsible for the purchase, implementation and maintenance of health information systems used by healthcare providers and administrators in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Rebecca is currently a member of the Steering Committee, Alliance for Nursing Informatics and previously served three years on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Health Information Exchange and four years as Chair, North Carolina Nurses Association Council on Nursing Informatics.

United States Army Nurse Corps Long Term Health Education and Training Scholarship-18 Months

1985

United States Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship-Three Year

Dr. Kitzmiller received numerous awards during her military services including Order of Military Medical Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (2005, 2002, 1996), Army Commendation Medal (2000, 1993), Army Superior Unit Award, Army Achievement Medal, and Distinguished Military Graduate, Army Reserve Officer Training Corps

Kitzmiller, R. (2007, June). A new lens on implementing technology: A research proposal grounded in theory of sensemaking. Abstract for poster presentation at the Informatics Solutions for Promoting Patient Safety Conference, Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina.